Journalism Under Siege

“Press freedom around the world is being threatened by the very people who should be its guarantors—political authorities,” stated Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in its 2024 report, describing the current condition for practising journalism as “difficult” amid press freedom experiencing a worrying downward spiral across the globe over the last few years. According to reports, more than 200 journalists have been killed in Gaza alone since October 2023, as Israel continues to pound Gaza to this day despite reports of widespread starvation and civilian deaths. But violence against journalists and the declining press freedom are not limited to countries in conflicts -- Russia-Ukraine, Gaza, Myanmar, etc. In short, press freedom is under siege in many countries as media houses and journalists are targeted for doing their job. This troubling trend is visible even in the Western democracies and the United States, which is evident from the significant drop in its Press Freedom Index ranking over the years. The story is not different in India either, with a ranking of 159th out of 180 countries as per the 2024 World Press Freedom Index released by the RSF. The India Freedom of Expression Initiative stated in its report that “five journalists were killed” and about “226 journalists were targeted across India by the State agencies, non-state political actors, anti-social elements, criminals, mafia, etc. during 2023”. These numbers certainly do not reflect well on freedom of speech in the world's largest democracy.

The gruesome murder of journalist Mukesh Chandrakar from Chhattisgarh, allegedly for exposing corruption in a project, earlier this year is fresh in the minds of the people. A few journalists are still languishing in prison after being charged under anti-terror laws, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Recently, the Assam Police have reportedly summoned Siddharth Varadarajan, founding editor of The Wire, consulting editor Karan Thapar and staff of the news portal for interrogation in a case filed under Section 152 of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), drawing criticism from various quarters, including the Editors Guild of India. Last week, the Supreme Court had granted protection from coercive action against the journalists. Summoning of journalists without proper investigation and the possibility of using sedition laws to silence the media is a matter of serious concern that requires attention. The media is called the "fourth pillar of democracy" because of the vital role it plays in holding the other three pillars – legislature, executive, and judiciary – accountable to the public by ensuring transparency and preventing abuse of power. Weakening this pillar in the form of threats, false implications and restrictive laws will only weaken democracy. Journalists draw courage from their deep belief in truth and the public service aspect of their profession, which motivates them to overcome fear and face threats to their safety and livelihood. This ideal, coupled with a strong commitment to upholding values like objectivity and fairness, gives them the resilience to hold power accountable and fight for social justice, even when facing intimidation, financial pressure, or violence. Journalists often find themselves at a disadvantage compared to politicians, bureaucrats, and those in power, but they overcome fear and draw courage from their conviction to be the voice of the voiceless. Reducing this voice to mere whispers will have a significant effect on democracy and the society as a whole.